The RHS recently conducted a survey which showed that almost 70% of 18 year-olds questioned believe horticulture careers should only be considered by people who have ‘failed academically’.

Awareness about the horticulture industry

In the same survey, 25% of people said that they weren’t interested in horticultural careers because they don’t know enough about them.

Careers advice

At the conference, it was suggested that careers advisors need to be made more aware of the breadth of career opportunities within the horticulture industry.

There was a general consensus that horticulture is promoted in primary schools, but that there is an issue in secondary schools.

Second careers

However, it’s not only the young who should be targetted. Horticulture is often taken up as a second career.

And I know many florists who have become disillusioned with their 9-5 office jobs and have re-trained to enable them to work within the floristry industry.

Benefits of working within the horticulture industry

There are lots of benefits of working in the horticulture industry:

For those whose jobs involve them being outside for most of the working day like gardeners, there are health benefits.

Those who are creative could consider a career in floristry or garden design.

You can learn skills which are transferable on a global scale which gives you an opportunity to travel with your work.

You can either be self-employed and run your own business, or you can work for someone.

The huge variety of skills you’ll learn from people management to budgeting.

It can be a job for life and one that you also enjoy doing every day…and have fun!

Overall, the general consensus was that working in the industry can be extremely rewarding and satisfying.

Ideas

As for recommendations of how to improve the perception of the industry?

Below are a few of my own personal ideas concentrating on giving people an insight into the horticulture industry, so that they’re better informed when making their career choice.

– School & College Visits

Perhaps more people employed in the horticulture industry could visit schools and colleges?

There is a scheme called Speakers for Schools founded by BBC journalist, Robert Peston. 800 experts and industry leaders, who include Martha Lane Fox and Maurice Saatchi, give talks in state secondary schools and colleges for free.

And there’s also a free service called Inspiring the Future which allows people from all sectors and professions to work with state schools and colleges to help young people achieve their potential. Currently 100,000 ‘normal people’ are being recruited from plumbers to lawyers to share their expertise at comprehensive schools.

– An A-Team of Horticulture Ambassadors

Chef Jamie Oliver has made huge inroads into changing our perceptions of the catering industry in the UK. As the horticulture industry is so diverse, perhaps an A-Team of Horticulture Ambassadors could be created.

At the conference, on more than one occasion, there was a feeling from the young people present, that the industry needs to become more ‘cool’. So how about, selecting some next generation horticulture stars to provide inspiration.

– Media Coverage

There seem to be very few gardening programmes on television at the moment. Perhaps, a series about ‘A Day in the Life of…’ showcasing people from the horticulture industry could be commissioned?

I’m sure lots of people would love to have an insight into the day-to-day running of a florist shop and watch a garden designer as they create a garden from scratch.

Conclusion

As I mentioned earlier, it was a huge privilege to be part of the day.

It became very apparent that we need more people to be made aware of what an amazing and potentially diverse career you can have working in the horticulture industry.

Alan Titchmarsh said: “We work in the best occupation in the world. It’s the most rewarding and important career on offer, bar none.”

Many thanks to the RHS for arranging such a wonderfully inspirational event. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next with the blueprint that they have created from the day.

Do let me know if you have any suggestions on how to improve the perception of the horticulture industry…

Comments

Hello Rona. It sounds like a really fascinating day, thanks for sharing it with those of us who weren’t there. Just a thought – it seems to me that horticulture and floristry often work best as a second career. When I was 17 I would never consider such a career – but with age comes wisdom and an appreciation of such things (I’m only 42!).Maybe it is about changing the youth perception, making it seem ‘Cool’. Maybe its also because many of those in the industry are low paid – unless you’re very successful – and so works best as a second rather than primary income……….

Thank you very much for your comment Karen. It truly was a fascinating day…it’ll be very interesting to see the RHS’s plans for the future of how to improve the general perception of this very important industry.

Are you aware of any other reports from the event? This is most excellent and useful.

I ask as we are a group of colleges working in East England on this and I am information gathering mode. The trouble is when i have gathered information i never seem to be able to use it in the same fashion as messers sugar or branson.

Meet Rona

A very warm welcome! My name is Rona Wheeldon and I’ve made it my mission to inspire and support the floristry industry. I’m passionate about this incredible sector and everyone involved, rooting for florists, flower growers and flower wholesalers.

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